This invention relates to a sunbathing apparatus, and particularly to an apparatus that comprises a lounge chair having a system of water spray nozzles for generating a cooling water mist atmosphere in the vicinity of the chair, whereby a person reclining on the chair is cooled by the water mist particles.
Lounge chairs having water mist generating devices are known in the art. The apparatus of the present invention is an improvement over the art in that the water spray nozzles have improved mounting connections with the chair, whereby the water spray patterns are predetermined and effective. Also, the apparatus of the present invention employs a manually operable control valve on the lounge chair that enables the chair occupant to vary or adjust the water flow rate, to thereby vary the spray patterns of the spray nozzles. In preferred practice of the invention there are three pairs of water spray nozzle units. One pair of nozzles is located at the foot end of the chair seat; a second pair of nozzles is located at the upper end of the chair back; a third pair of nozzles is located on the chair arm rests. The nozzle arrangement provides reasonably good coverage of the entire area above the chair, such that the chair occupant is fully exposed to the cooling water mist. Each pair of nozzles receives pressurized water through a separate flexible tube system, so that each nozzle has an adequate water supply.
Referring to the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,542 to D. Carlson shows a lounge chair wherein an H-shaped tube system extends within the chair frame envelope to supply water to spray nozzles at spaced points along the tube system. The tube system is fastened to the chair frame by flexible ties (or wires).
U.S. Pat. No. 4, 854,502 to R. Cox shows a lounge chair having a water spray unit located above the chair seat for spraying water particles upwardly into the zone above the chair. The water spray unit is supported by means of a bracket arm that is clamped or otherwise attached to the chair frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,535, to J. Skibik shows a water spray apparatus attached to the frame of a lounge chair by two clamp arms. The spray apparatus comprises a single length of tubing having six spray nozzles spaced along the tubing length. Each spray nozzle comprises a flexible gooseneck connection that enables the spray direction to be changes (or varied).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,339, to K. Gibson, employs gooseneck connections at each spray nozzle, similar to the arrangement depicted in the above mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,535. In the system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,339, the hollow tubular frame of the lounge chair is used as a water conduit to supply pressurized water to the individual nozzles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,357 to T. Schmidt, shows a lounge chair having a U-shaped flexible tube extending along the chair frame. Small openings at spaced points along the tube provide the water spray pattern. Flexible ties are used to to attach the flexible tube to the chair frame. Also, the tube is anchored to corner areas of the chair frame by means of plastic foam fittings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,342, to D. Gange, shows a lounge chair equipped with a water hose that extends along and around the chair frame. Opposite ends of the hose are connected to a T fitting, whereby water is supplied to both ends of the hose. Small holes at selected points along the hose serve as spray nozzles.
In most of the prior art arrangements the spray nozzles are formed by small holes in a flexible tube, or by separate nozzles supported by a flexible tube. In such arrangements the hydrodynamic forces associated with water flow through the flexible tube can disturb the positions of the nozzles, so as to potentially adversely affect the water spray pattern. In my newly proposed arrangement, each spray nozzle is individually affixed to the chair frame, such that the nozzle position is predetermined and supported against disturbance by the water forces. Also, my proposed arrangement includes an in-line ball valve that can be manually adjusted to vary the water flow rate; the valve can be used to adjust the nozzle spray pattern or to achieve a desired spray pattern with different water supply pressures (i.e. different pressures at the household faucet).
Further features of the invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.